Selling records storage is easy once you understand the two prime objections youll get from customers and how to overcome them. This is an important ingredient in the records storage lite model designed for self-storage implementation. My last three columns have focused on the value of this model to the average operator. (These articles are available in the online article archive at www.insideselfstorage.com.) This month, well look at how to sell packaged services, overcome customer concerns and close the sale.

Objections can come in many forms and at different times during the sales cycle. However, there are two very important doubts that rear their heads more often than not. They are directly related to the age-old human frailties, money and work.

Prime Objection #1

The service is great, but it costs too much. Cost always comes into the picture with a small-business decision that does not concern core business processes. Records storage is a bother and, frankly, not on the top of most business owners priority list. You are confronted with the problem of making them understand how this service reduces costs and provides great value. How can you address this simply, easily and quickly?

Most objections are based on fear and distrust. The best way to overcome them is to reduce the clients pain. Clearly, records storage is a pain! Business owners have to do it whether they like it or not, and rarely do they have the desire. Records are generally unimportant until they are neededin most cases, when there is trouble, such as a lawsuit, audit or client problem. Then they become the No. 1 priority.

Here are the steps to overcoming the objection of cost:

Prime Objection #2

Yes, it sounds good, but its too much trouble. Anyone who has stored boxed records for any length of time in an out-of-the-way place knows they become ugly, dirty and disorganized. This represents another pain to the client. If he had wanted to fix the problem, he would already have done so! Most people want these boxes out of sight and out of mind. Rarely do they want to tackle the job of moving them into formal records storage.

But doing so is much easier than they think, and the process can be totally outsourced by youfor a profit. I remember from working in my fathers business that any time someone mentioned taking inventory, the whole staff called in sick. It sounds dreadful. But the fact is, it doesnt have to be if theres a method to your madness. We live in a world of experts.

We outsource our lawn care, legal work, medical care and hundreds of other tasks. No one can be an expert at everything. We must focus on our core skills and let others do the work they do best. Principles require that to get value from outsourcing, a task must be done better and cheaper. Otherwise, do it yourself.

Here are some steps to overcoming the objection of work:

Once you are able to quiet your prospects concerns regarding the cost and effort involved in records storage, you will be free to concentrate on closing the sale. Allaying customer fears leads to consistent revenue in records storage lite.

Regular columnist Cary McGovern, CRM, is the principal of FileMan Records Management, which offers full-service records-management assistance for commercial records storage startups, marketing assistance, and sales training in commercial records-management operations. For assistance in feasibility determination, operational implementation or marketing support, call 877.FILEMAN; e-mail [email protected]; www.fileman.com.